Wish
by Heart'sRose
Summary: The title probably wont stick. Natsume at a young age dreams of being free of the abuse of his distant relations, he is given a chance and he takes it. LotRxNatsume Yuujinchou crossover. one reference of xxxholic. No pairings, unless brief mentions of canon ones, this is elfling .natsume and he is too young to be in a relationship.
1. Chapter 1

i dont own either natsume or lotr.

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There was once a young couple, who moved in to small home in a remote town surrounded by peaceful mountains. The town they lived in was small, and the townspeople were like a family, close and wary of outsiders, and at first were cold to the new settlers. But the couple were loving and kind to the town, young and old, and grew on the hearts of all and were easily accepted into the community. They grew to be much loved, and the town could no longer remember a time when the peaceful couple didn't live there. The children would merrily follow them through the center of town singing and laughing, the elderly would look upon them fondly and they would give a cheery greeting to all they passed. Even filled with happiness as they were they began to long for something more. They began to try for a child of their own, but months passed and the young wife began to doubt she could bear children. They were sad for a time but the couple again grew happy, for they were together and loved the sleepy town they lived in, they drew peace from each other. Seasons came and went and many a peaceful year passed when the couple began to spread unexpected but joyous news; the young wife was with child! They were beyond happiness and all the town rejoiced, and anxiously awaited the day the child was to be born.

The child was beautiful, dirty blonde hair with a silvery gleam and eyes the color of melted honey and was named Natsume, after the season of summer in which he was born. But the day brought both great joy and sadness, for it was a long and difficult labor and the mother died in child birth. The father who had so dearly loved his wife and child began to grow mad with his grief, and although he showered the baby with love and attention he swiftly grew sickly and drawn and soon after followed his love into death. But the town swore to love the child as much as they had the couple, in order to honor them and their easy kindness and the child was happy and spoiled for a time.

Soon distant relations came to seek the child left behind, for the young couple were surprisingly wealthy and had left all their money and worldly possessions to the child. The town could not keep a hold of the child despite their love, for they were not family by blood and had to let go. They grieved for the lost couple they had grown to love so much and despaired that they could not at the very least keep the child. The relatives who had thought they were clever to come and take Natsume from the little town quickly became enraged, for the young peaceful couple were also very smart, they knew that people would come after the money and made a plan in case of their death. The money was not to go to the child until he was of the age of eighteen, and could do with it what he liked. Until then he could only have access to a trust fund which would only take care of basic necessities. If he were to perish for any reason the money was to be spread among town they had lived in. No matter how these strangers argued with the law and pleaded, the money would never reach them. Unfortunately for the child this plan backfired, the relatives mistreated him and passed him on to others. He traveled between many families, at best treated with kind indifference at worst with cruel words and abuse. This was not helped by the fact that he was considered strange, he claimed to see things that weren't there for attention, lied about silly things and startled everyone by yelling without reason. For the things he saw were spirits and could only be seen by people with spiritual powers, and his were unnaturally strong. The families were cruel, the children were cruel and even the teachers thought him a trouble maker and to be treated with disdain. He grew tired of life and wished for a loving family, he dreamed of an escape, of other worlds and fantastic adventures, of acceptance. He wished for freedom.

On the year of his thirteenth birthday he was finally granted his chance, he came across a store that looked like a home. It was a strange place for a shop, set between huge buildings and in a style unlike the modern ones and he was going to unknowingly pass it by, but was drawn to it. Wary and untrusting, for he was never treated with any kindness before, (from either human or spirit) he entered the small shop. The inside was just as mysterious as the outside had been and he was politely greeted by two small children, who quickly led him to another room. It was the home of an eccentric but strangely beautiful woman who commanded his attention. In the corner of the room he could see another; a teenager still dressed in school uniform and for some reason an apron. Finally after a few seconds of expectant silence, compelled by some strange feeling he spoke "I wish to find a home where I can be loved." The woman smiled, and he couldn't look away, she told him that the price would be his power to see the unnatural, his inheritance and his help in a dangerous quest; it was a large price to pay although he would still have some spiritual energy. Without thought or doubt or reason he accepted, an instinct perhaps born from his powers told him that she was not lying, that he could trust her. Smoke filled the air eerily and he thought he saw her eyes gleam. "Consider it done, Natsume," she said simply, before something was drawn from his body, inky and black, the ceiling seemed to come down and grab him, distorting strangely before all he saw was blackness.

He woke up to the sounds of a forest, a noise that sounded both strange and achingly familiar, it made him feel safe. He grew up in cities for most of his life. Most of the relatives he stayed with preferring the convenience of a city, he could not remember a time that he had had the privilege of being under a cool canopy of leaves, and that seemed a tragedy to him now. He gradually, reluctantly got up from the carpet of green to look around; everything seemed so full of life. He was in a small clearing, surrounded by trees and dotted with little flowers, birdsong and the rustling of leaves could be heard and even the trickle of a stream nearby. The sun was high in the sky and Natsume felt at peace with himself, a place had never felt like this to him before, his skin almost tingled with the feeling of life. It almost felt like the very air itself was trying to speak with him, if only he would just stop to hear.

Stretching, he looked down and noticed the ground seemed closer than it usually did, alarmed he ran , following the sound of the running water and prayed that the water was clear and still enough to view his reflection. When he reached the river what he saw both frightened and intrigued him. He was just a little bit smaller than he used to be, more the size of when he was ten then the thirteen he was now. His eyes seemed to pop out of his face, the unique coloring of melting honey seemed to shift colors to molten gold when he turned his head. They sparkled in a way they never had before. His hair looked the mostly the same, cut short and silvery blonde, but it seemed just a bit more lustrous and silky then before. He reached out to touch it, to see if it was as soft as it looked and almost jerked in shock, he pushed his hair away and looked in the water again, his ears were pointed! _Pointed_! They seemed to tie his entire new look altogether, a beauty that was distinctly non-human, some _other_. He looked one last time, this time standing rather than crouched over the water. He still had the same body, a skinniness that seemed just past the point of healthy in malnourishment. A small bruise just lingering on his arm, a little scar on the side of his hand, things that could point more to a rambunctious child than anything more sinister, which was the way he preferred it. He'd rather not try and explain having any larger bruises than he carried now. Now he'd just have to find out what to do next, he could not hear any sounds of civilisation and although the forest was a peaceful place, he'd rather not be there at nightfall. He thought back to the beautiful woman, who hopefully granted his dream, and just wished he knew what he had to do to get there.


	2. Chapter 2

Second chap! I still dont own either Natsume or lotr. Hope this is ok :) If anyone has suggestions or anything let me know, I don't know where this is going yet besides vague ideas.

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Natsume decided to follow the stream, usually civilization was built around water, so if he followed the river, he would know he wasn't going in circles and would come closer to people, hopefully. It was lucky that he wore his warmer clothes this particular day; if he couldn't find a way then at least he'd be warm at night. He realized he should probably feel scared, he was smaller, alone and in the middle of a forest he didn't know, but he couldn't help but feel calm. The life around him reassured him that he was safe, as long as the sun still shone.

It was another clear day, but in the far distance he could see clouds and knew that rain was approaching and he had better get a move on. The weirdest things delighted him though, and he could not help but get distracted by them. A shiny rock gleaming in the stream, a strange looking bird singing a tune high in a tree, a little butterfly the most exotic of colors, each stopped him. With his short legs he wasn't getting very far but there was a delight in the world he couldn't remember having before, even when he was a young child and when he laughed it was bright and unrestrained.

It was now getting closer to sun down then sun up and Natsume was getting concerned, he had walked long and far and no sign of civilization showed itself at all. There were no telephone lines or sounds of traffic from a distance, no smoke coming from any tree, no airplanes going by, just nothing. Where the forest had seemed a safe and even caring place before, it now slowly worked towards menacing. Shadows began to unfurl and grew into long grasping fingers, the animals were silent in the night as if trying to avoid any unnecessary attention and the forest now cried out of danger. He didn't know what to do, if he kept walking by the river in the night, he was open for anyone to see, but he couldn't risk getting lost in the cover of the trees and he was getting tired anyways. He decided to stop for the night, he couldn't risk getting seen (by what he did not know) nor could he risk getting lost in the wood. He found a tree with low hanging boughs and began to climb, the trees were old and tall and he felt safe and unseen in the security of their branches.

The last bits of sun he could see from his vantage point began to disappear and as soon as the deep of the night came a terrible screeching and low grunting started. Now he was terrified, the sounds were unlike anything he had heard before, worse than anything a child could conjure in the scariest of nightmares. They were also moving closer. He realized that the moans and grunts and screams were some form of horrific language and he prayed that he would not get seen. What sort of being had a language that just by hearing made him feel sick? For his entire being to scream out wrong! Something's wrong! He did not want to get found, for he knew it would lead to a slow and painful death.

The creatures were almost upon him, and he shrank into a ball, and just before they reached the area surrounding his chosen tree, it began to rain. But it wasn't a little trickle it was a steady downpour, he was soaked in seconds. He made sure he was in a steady position, the wood was now slippery and if he fell into the midst of the creatures…The creatures seemed to scream in outrage and even though he was now cold and wet he could not help but feel relieved, the rain would mask his scent (if that was what the creatures used) and hopefully they would just pass him by unseen. He could now see them, his eyes seemed to see further than they could before, they were searching around his tree and ones nearby, and he held very still. He almost wished he had his old eyesight back, they were beyond hideous, even more so than the most malevolent spirit he had laid eyes upon. Finally they began to move on screeching and grunting louder than before, and he slowly let out a sigh of relief and tried to get more comfortable. It would be a long night.

He woke up again to the peaceful sounds of the forest and sun upon his face and stretched, almost falling out of the tree he was in. He laughed at himself; the sound filled with relief and as clear as a bell's chime, and slowly made his way down the tree. He felt at peace once again, as if the nightmarish creatures he had encountered _were_ just a nightmare, though the tracks around the tree proved otherwise, the trees of the forest seemed full of life and joy again, and almost as relieved as he was. "_The creatures are gone_," he thought he heard them whisper, "_The child is safe_" they might of groaned. He laughed at himself again for being silly and went to the river to drink, he had a fresh and constant source of water, but he would also need to eat soon. He was used to going a few days without food, from the time with his more uncaring relatives, but he had already gone one day and it wasn't something he enjoyed.

He had to find people! The day was halfway through and in his long trek; he had still seen no signs of civilization. He was tired, and although he would have a hard time suddenly explaining why he had pointed ears, he just wanted to be found. The worn green hoodie he was wearing would most likely help him hide them until he thought of an explanation anyways. Maybe where he was everyone had pointed ears? He didn't know, but he silently thought of the beautiful women for the first time with some doubt. He hoped she knew what she was doing. He sighed and decided to have a bit of a rest, he could walk for a long time but without food and without proper sleep he was becoming exhausted much quicker than before. He looked at the river, and almost shouted in surprise and joy, an apple was bobbing along. He jumped up and used a stick to get it to come his way, and nearly jumped again in joy when he finally held it in his hands. It was sweet and crisp, and the best apple he had ever eaten, he wondered if his taste buds had changed as well, for he couldn't remember eating anything that had tasted as good. Finished and rejuvenated, he was once more ready to begin his long walk towards civilization.

Many weeks passed and he was beginning to feel hopeless, maybe this river did go in circles? He had steadily gotten thinner and weaker, for although the occasional apple he could find and even handfuls of sweet tangy berries were delicious, they weren't plentiful enough to survive on. He was used to hunger, he had lived with people who would rather see him starve then give him anything to eat after all, but he had never felt this same gnawing desperation before. It was also becoming colder, whether from winter coming closer, his weakness or his clothes becoming worn he did not know, but soon he would fall to the elements if he couldn't find his way. It was again nearing nighttime and he began to search for a tree to sleep in again, holding onto his now non-existent belly with one hand. He climbed high and waited for night to fall. Luckily the first night in the forest was the only night he had encountered the nightmare creatures, but although the ground was probably more comfortable than the hard branches he would not chance sleeping on it. He heard a sharp crack from just a little deeper in the forest, and the sounds of voices drifting on the wind. His hands clenched in hope and joy but also fear and anticipation. The woods did not scream of danger as they had the first night, but he knew from experience man could be just as cruel as anything.

He waited, listening for the voices to come closer, "something has passed through here, just recently, something small_" _he hearda rough but gentle voice say. Now he was even more scared, for whoever it was would surely find him, if they could find his tracks. Gentle footfalls sounded, two men entered the clearing he was in. one was crouched lower to the ground, and had dark wavy hair, the other was looking around warily, he had long dark straight hair. The one on the ground suddenly looked up and put his hand on the hilt of his sword, _sword! _And then with a sharp sound pulled it out and pointed it at the tree he was in. The other swiftly moved to copy him, "Come out and show yourself!" the first one called, his eyes a smoky blue color he had never seen before, and a face he felt he could trust. The words made no sense to him, which was strange for he had understood what they had said before. With little other choice, they knew where he was after all and he knew what they wanted; he climbed down the tree, making sure his hood stayed up. It easily covered his ears but his face was fully visible and when he reached the bottom he turned around, hands raised and full of fear.

He heard a gasp; the longer haired one lowered his sword, "_a child."_ The beautiful voice said softly in a language he could understand. His vision slowly went gray and he knew what was happening before it happened. He fell to the ground in a dead faint, and he hoped the men who found him would show him mercy.


	3. Chapter 3

I dont own Lotr or Natsume...or XXXHolic. I'm not happy about this chapter...but i couldnt put it down right for some reason, thankfully i have a clear idea of how i want to continue it, so at least im past the hard bit.

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The whole room was in an uproar. The news that orcs had been sighted not too far from the borders of Rivendell had the entire room buzzing with protests and exclamations. Orcs had not been sighted this close to the last homely house in many years. Although they had already gone through and were now at least several days away, the majority agreed it was best to go after them, and get rid of them if necessary. Despite that most were reluctant to volunteer their services, not wanting to go so far from home just to get some orcs already leagues away. Once the clamor settled down, a heavy silence fell. Who would be the ones to go? An elf at the east end of the room finally stood, "Elladan and I will go! Too long have orcs skirted our borders and caused havoc. They shall not get away with it any longer!" he seemed overly passionate about what he was saying. His brother, (for he could be no one else, he was too similar in looks) stood as well and gave a firm agreement, he also seemed much troubled by the news of orcs. Another second of silence and then another rose, "I will go as well, I am used to tracking a trail several days old and the trip will go much faster if I come along," the twins looked at him gratefully and the three sat back down.

After the brief meeting was finished and everyone was dismissed, the trio dispersed to gather the supplies needed for the trip, it would not be a short journey. The orcs already had a lead of several days and were most likely moving swiftly. Estel shook his head as he gathered his belongings, almost every time orcs were nearby it was he and his brothers who went out to look for them. His brothers hated orcs with a passion, although their hate was reasonable. Orcs were responsible for the death of their mother many years ago, and the old anger would flare whenever they were mentioned in their company. He swiftly finished packing his things, shouldered them and went to find his Ada to say goodbye before their journey. His father wished him well and he head to the stables, where his brothers were most likely waiting for him. He glanced back once before they began their journey, he loved the peace of Rivendell, it was his home and he was always sad to leave. They then mounted their horses and rode swiftly in the direction the orcs where last spotted, neither of his brothers seemed up for much conversation. Their minds seemed elsewhere, and Estel was fine with that. He concentrated on the movement of his horse and on the forest floor, keeping an eye out for tracks. After the first couple of days the elves finally seemed to relax, they were once again smiling and laughing. They pulled small jokes and the three companions playfully argued about the share of food and better sleeping arrangements. It relieved Estel to see them in higher spirits; a somber mood didn't suit them at all, they were the jokers of the family.

It had rained since the orcs had passed through and all tracks on the floor had disappeared, despite that orcs weren't cautious creatures and when such a large company moved through the dense woods they instead had a trail of broken branches and trampled grasses to follow. Wherever they went the forest seemed more disturbed and they were making fast time with their horse's swift pace. Estel suddenly gave a signal for them to stop, seemingly without reason, but the twin brothers knew to trust their brother when it came to tracking. Despite the fact he was mannish he was a far better tracker than most elf-kind, his skills honed after many years in the forest and he never led them astray.

"What is it Estel?" Elrohir asked cautiously, keeping quiet while his youngest sibling looked closely at the forest floor. He shook his head and started to walk further into the forest, Elrohir gestured to his brother to stay by the horses and quickly followed the younger man, who seemed to be focusing intently on something only he could discern. "Something has passed through here, just recently, something small," he finally said softly, Elrohir made sure to keep his guard up as the younger man searched the forest floor. After a few more short minutes Estel came to a sudden stop in front of a large tree. He pulled out his sword gracefully and swung it to point at the tree he had stopped in front of; Elrohir didn't hesitate to copy him. "Come out and show yourself!" he called in the common-tongue, as whatever in the trees was most likely not an elf. Half a second passed and a sudden rustling came as a small creature clothed in green slowly scaled down the tree, his movements hesitant but steady. The small thing slowly turned around, little hands raised in the common gesture of meaning no harm.

And his breath stopped in his throat, for he was now staring at a little human child, eyes bright and full of fear and uncertainty. The air in his lungs came out in a sudden rush, "_a child"_ he breathed softly in elvish as he lowered his sword. The small child looked at them in panic, he looked to have been abandoned in the woods, for no guardian could have accidentally left their charge in such a condition. It was amazing he had survived at all with orcs tromping around the woods! He was full of a cold rage, no child should be abandoned in a forest and left to die! Before he could go and reassure the child that he was finally safe, the child leaned forward and then fell into a dead faint.

Estel dropped his sword to the forest floor and moved swiftly to the side of the exhausted child, quickly propping him up and checking for injuries. Elrohir rushed forward to help, but was quickly shooed away by his younger brother and was told to go and get Elladan and their supplies in case the child had need of them.

_Estel p.o.v_

He couldn't believe the state the child was in, he looked like he hadn't eaten a proper meal in weeks, he had no provisions and his clothes were worn. He had little bruises and scars that also pointed to along time alone in the forest. I was worried what my brothers would do when they saw the state of him. Elves were so, _so _protective of children, regardless of race, and it would almost hurt them to see a child in this condition. They were approaching now, no longer caring about being quiet, Elrohir must have told Elladan what had happened. The child began to stir in my arms, and I put my hand on his forehead comfortingly, the child was burning up! I stroked back the child's hair in an attempt to calm him. The movement woke the child and I was greeted by the child's honey colored eyes, though they were muddled by confusion. With a closer look I realized how eerily beautiful the boy was despite his obvious malnourishment and cursed those who had done this to the poor child. Again I moved to stroke the child's hair back but the child flinched as if expecting to be struck and so I froze, praying that my suspicions were wrong, that it was delirium from fever that made the child fear touch. Finally the elves arrived back in the clearing and the child squirmed trying to get away from my hold. Reluctantly I loosened my hold on the child, but made sure that he was close enough to steady the boy if it was needed.

Elladan and Elrohir didn't move any closer, probably trying not to scare the boy further although it didnt matter much as the boy teetered to and fro before collapsing for a second time. He had to have been on the last reserves of his strength, and must have been incredibly brave to survive the forest on his own at his age. Thankfully I caught him, and set him down once more."We should probably make camp here, the child is burning with fever and needs rest, we will head back to Rivendell tomorrow and send others after the orcs. The child has suffered long and needs medicines and bed rest. We will figure out his story when he wakes," I told them, although there was probably no need, they would coddle the child to an unbearable level if I would let them. They both nodded in agreement, and began to gather supplies to help aid the child, or at least make him more comfortable.

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A bit of an extra sort of thing...not really important for the story but it was in my head...

The chime of the bell announced that the guest she had been expecting had finally arrived. Maru and Moro were already at the door, waiting for his arrival so she did not bother to get up, they would come to her. She stayed where she had originally lain, sprawled on the couch like most days. Watanuki was in the corner muttering away as he was prone to do, though he stopped complaining about the dusting and his grumbles were quickly cut off as he stilled, his instincts were just as good as usual. He knew this was an important customer. A young boy was escorted in by Maru and Moro, he looked like Watanuki did the first time he had entered the shop. Wary and untrusting, he looked as if he had no hope left in humanity, but his instincts were just as good if not better than Watanuki's and he did not ask any questions. He met her eye, and she sensed he had a great power in him and though he had suffered needlessly by both humans and spirits alike, had not used it for any evil purposes.

He was a kind-hearted soul, who should have had a joyful life surrounded by loving people but was instead dealt an awful hand. There were a few moments of drawn silence, his gaze didn't waver as he spoke, "I wish to find a home where I can be loved." He surprised her, she knew he was powerful but to know exactly what the shop was here for, and to be at such a young age…she lit her kiseru pipe and smiled. It was a difficult wish, with a high price. But his powers were so strong that it became a possibility if she added a couple other small tokens, his inheritance, which he never wanted and caused him much pain and his aid in the place she would send him to. He would help bring balance to what was once a peaceful world and in doing so would gain a family, a family that didn't just loved him, but would treasure him above all else. She explained it all, clearly to him. He was young but she was sure he would understand with a maturity most would never possess. He accepted. A trust that wasn't previously there filled his face, and she locked eyes with him again. She drew from her pipe, "Consider it done, Natsume," was all she said and began. She took his offered price and used her powers she had used not so long ago, and he was gone. Hopefully he would find peace; it would be a long difficult road for the boy but he also burned with determination, she was sure he would succeed on his quest.

Later on in the day Watanuki approached her, quiet and drawn, "Who was that?" he asked softly filled with curiosity. He still had much to learn, but he could tell easily enough that what had transpired earlier that day had been very important. But it was not her story to share, nor was it the time to, "Someone not all that different from you," was all she could bring herself to say. And to be honest it made her feel a bit smug, she loved to have that mysterious air about her and Watanuki always, always ate it up.


	4. Chapter 4

Year 2509 is the year that Elladan and Elrohir's mother was attacked by the orcs and the following year departs middle earth to cross the sea.

Year 2933 Aragorn is brought to Rivendell and taken in as Elrond's foster son; he is given the name Estel or "Hope"

Year 2951 Aragorn discovers his true name and destiny whereas before he was known among the elves as Estel. He goes into the wild and has many adventures.

Year 2980 he heads home and is betrothed to Arwen

Year 3001 Aragorn searches for Gollum

The Year 3018 is when Aragorn finds Frodo and brings him to Rivendell where the fellowship forms and departs.

In my head Natsume is found by the twins and Aragorn around 2982, I wanted a bit of back-story with Natsume and the elves before the fellowship. This is his second chance at life, but he is still going to be part of the war. Whether he will be doing much fighting or becomes a symbol of hope, I don't know…I do find it will be very difficult because elves age much slower (in my story) and by the time the fellowship arrives he will still be much too young to do battle, in the elves eyes anyways. He will be around forty-nine, although that sounds old enough he is an elf and take in mind that Pippin the youngest of the fellowship was 29 (I think) and he is an average aging hobbit.

Ages of the Fellowship:

Frodo (50), Pippin (29), Merry (37), Sam (38), Gandalf (not sure but +2000), Boromir (40), Gimli (139), Aragorn (87) and Legolas (never stated but between 500-3000, which is the common for elves)

Just a bit of the background history, and where my story comes into the timeline, in case anyone was curious. Elves are usually adult height by 50 and fully grown by 100, in my story Natsume will probably look around 14, 15 around the fellowship time. When he's found by Aragorn and the twins he looks around the age of 8, (he said he looks like he was 10 when he looked at the reflection because at 10 he looked like he was 8) haha confusing but he was malnourished and small and didn't grow properly. So when the elves find him he is 13 in actual years but 8 in physical stature. Also I made a mistake with Natsume's name, his first name is Takashi which can mean "noble, prosperous or even reverence" for some reason I thought his first name was Natsume which can translate into summer. Since I already made the story like this he will have Natsume as his first name. I apologize! I should have looked into it first. It won't matter either way though because he will be granted an elvish name like Aragorn was.

Anyways, I'm now confusing myself, and probably annoying you…Let the story begin!

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The child was wrapped in their warmest clothes and furs on the forest floor; he hadn't stirred in his makeshift cocoon once since the twins had made it. A pot of stew made from fresh-caught rabbit and vegetables was slowly warming over a merrily crackling fire and both Elladan and Elrohir were silent, only moving to re-wet a strip of cloth that was placed on the boy's forehead. Their previous somber moods returning at the thought of the small child, alone in the woods. The fever and malnourishment were the only major sources of concern, but they brought no answers, he wished the child would wake and explain why he was out, alone in the middle of a dangerous forest. Was he abandoned by his guardians? Lost? Had he run away from home? The only logical explanation was the most horrifying, none dared to tread alone this far into the forest, he could not be lost there was no community nearby enough to get lost from. He had no spare clothes or bags to carry, if he had run away from home, where were his provisions? The only way he could be this far out alone, was if someone had deliberately brought him here and then left.

A low sound brought him out of his thoughts, and he as well as the twins moved closer to the child who was finally waking up. The boy moaned and scrunched his eyes, before he slowly eased himself up; Elladan put his hands to the boys back to help steady him while Elrohir rushed to get a cup of water from the stream. His eyes opened and Estel was once again stunned by the rich color,

"What is your name, child?" I questioned softly in common-tongue, the boy just looked confused and unsure and above all afraid. Elrohir returned with the water and the child looked between the three of them warily before accepting the cup and carefully drinking small sips. He sighed in relief before he returned to staring at them. "Why are you in the forest alone?" Elladan tried to ask instead, but the boy remained silent and looked lost.

"I don't think he can understand anything we're saying…" Elrohir started to say in Sindarin, when the boy's gaze snapped to face him with recognition as if he understood perfectly, although he still seemed unsure. "Can you understand what I'm saying little one?" Elladan asked hopefully, and we all held our breaths waiting to see if he would respond.

He nodded hesitantly and with a voice that was little more than a sigh he began to speak, "Yes…My name is Natsume. Who are you?" he talked as if unsure about each word, as if expecting not to be listened too. The most surprising thing about his speech though was the perfect flowing Sindarin, it sounded like it was his first language. The boy stayed wary of them but began to look less fearful, as he had been when he first woke.

"I am Estel, these two are Elladan and Elrohir my brothers. We were on the trail of orcs when we found you, why are you so far out and away from civilization child? Where are your parents?" the boy just shrugged, unwilling to talk and then blushed bright red as his stomach growled loudly. I decided to question him later, the child wasn't well and we could discuss it at a different time. The twins laughed loudly, the sound like bells drifting on the wind, and began to fix him a bowl of soup. The boy looked mortified, as if being hungry after many days alone in the forest was something to be ashamed of. The boy gladly accepted the bowl of soup and was almost stiff in how polite he was being, when offered another serving; he gently declined and thanked us graciously over the small bowl.

His eyes began to flutter "alright I think you should go back to sleep, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow and you need your rest," I told Natsume, who forced himself awake again at my words. He looked almost shocked, "You mean you'll take me with you?" his question in turn shocked and horrified me, I heard the twins gasp in disbelief behind me. "Of course we will, we'll bring you back to our home in Rivendell child. You will love it there, it is described by some as a perfect place…food, drink and dancing, all are happy and welcome there.…." My voice trailed off as the boy began to drift away again. With a soft endearing grumble he was asleep. I looked at my brothers whose disbelief had rapidly turned to anger and pain; they looked heartbroken at the idea that we would leave him behind. That the child even thought it a possibility was worrying. It was most likely too late for the child to go anywhere but Rivendell, both the twins were furious at the state of the child and would probably not let him leave their sight for months if not years. Like all elves they cherished children beyond anything else in the world, their immortality had a great price and children were few and far between. And though I was born human, that trait had rubbed off on me as well, for children were all that was good in the world and for harm to come to one without reason...I placed my hand on his forehead again to check his fever, which with rest and proper food had thankfully gone down and made sure he was laying comfortably before going to sit by the fire.

"How could anyone, _anyone_ treat a child this way!" Elladan began to whisper furiously, "he will not be going back to his previous guardians if they are found! Lest he be left behind to die again!"

I sighed, I agreed with him but that seemed a bit much, Elrohir was nodding rapidly in agreement, and was almost splashing himself with the soup in his hands. "We will take him to Rivendell to recover, and hear his story before making any rash decisions, after all we do not know how he came to be in the forest despite what it seems." Both brothers looked at me as if to protest but then reluctantly nodded and quieted down, eating their soup in a more regular way. I glanced again at the child, who had shifted in his sleep, the hood that he had on the whole time had slipped down slightly. Something was poking up through his hair. I leaned a bit closer to the child…It couldn't be…I got up and walked towards him, both my brothers now staring at me puzzled, as I slowly pulled the child's hood back. I froze in spot, I couldn't move, couldn't breathe, even my brain stuttered to a halt and I couldn't think. Small pointed ears were visible amongst the child's silver gold hair.

"What is it Estel? What's wrong?" Elrohir questioned me, I couldn't reply, nothing was working, the _child_ was an_ elfling_.

_Elrohir P.O.V_

The soup was hot and the night was quiet, but the bubbling rage that had filled me at the child's softly spoken words had not subsided. To leave a child in the woods alone, the idea was laughable, as if an elf would ever even think to do such a thing! Regardless of species a child should be treasured, they were more important than the very air I breathed. No jewels or riches of any kind could ever be more important than a little boy. I glanced at Elladan, like usual his thoughts seemed to mirror mine; we were of one mind on this issue. I was glad to have him by my side, to know that someone knew exactly what I was going through. Without my faithful twin I might have let myself fade with the grief of our mother's passing. I glanced at Estel, our youngest sibling, his childhood was short but treasured just the same, and I remember his younger years fondly. It would be good to have a child in Rivendell again, even if only for a short time. Estel was looking at the child unaware of my gaze upon him, but his face looked strange, as if he had seen a ghost. I glanced at my twin and sure enough he was also puzzled by the strange expression Estel wore. He suddenly stood up and made his way towards the child, he hesitated and then pulled down the boy's hood. He then froze, several long moments passed and he seemed not to even breathe. His face was full of fear and awe, like he was looking at the most beautiful thing in the world and was afraid it would vanish if he even blinked.

Concerned I voiced my confusion "What is it Estel? What's wrong?" he didn't answer, he didn't even turn around. I got up and moved towards man and child and I gasped, an echo of my twin once again who now stood on the other side of Estel. This was simply not possible! An elfling! One hadn't been born for hundreds of years. A child born would have been celebrated for months on end if not more, and yet not a single elvish community had heard of his conception! The bubbling rage of earlier came back, but increased to something else, a dark burning hatred. The state of the _elfling _was awful, and to think he was abandoned to die in the woods when his presence should have been met with joy. The young elf's eyes were wary and exhausted, untrusting, fearful, they should have been bright with happiness and unburdened. Where were his parents! The only way this could have happened was if the elfling was forced from his mother's and father's dead arms. No elf would have given up something so cherished, not to this fate.

_"Back then I thought if I behaved badly, I wouldn't have a roof over my head anymore. I think that servile attitude came across in my actions. I'm sure I wasn't cute at all. I kind of understand now, not to hold back unnaturally from eating, just to say 'it's delicious'. Maybe I should have tried eating a lot instead." _Natsume Yuujinchou Ch30.


	5. Chapter 5

I know Aragorn used the name strider or Aragorn for the entirety of the movie, but until he leaves the elves company he was known as Estel.

Also sorry for the shorter chapter, I felt bad so I wrote a bit more.

I also forgot to say I don't own LotR or Natume last chapter, for those of you who don't know...i sadly still don't own them.

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There was nothing else to do; they had already treated the child as well as they could with what they had. The new discovery of what the child was made all three brothers restless, it would be a long journey the next day but they were ready to leave straight away. To wake the boy and beg him for answers, the elves were beginning to lose hope that there would be more children, more and more time passed between the birth of each child and it had been so, so long since the last one. Yet here was another, already at least eight summers old, but there had been no news of his birth. Elladan was actually pacing, tight circles around their camp; whereas for once Elrohir was doing something different, gazing at the fire as if it could hold the meaning of life.

"We should try and get some sleep, the faster we fall asleep, the faster morning will arrive and we can head home where the elfling will be safe and comfortable, I'll take first watch" Estel said, finally breaking the tense silence around the camp, the tension seeped out of the campsite like air out of a balloon. "Estel, an _elfling" _it seemed to be all Elrohir could say, his face had actually gone pale with stress, and Estel gave a look that conveyed a silent "_I know." _Somehow it was enough, to know all three were going through the same turbulent emotions. Elladan and Elrohir stretched out their sleeping mats and began to settle in for the night.

I couldn't help but look at the boy; he looked peaceful in sleep, besides the pinched look of starvation he had the same rosy glow as any other happy child. I still couldn't believe what I was seeing, but I hadn't replaced the hood and his little ears were still visible under golden strands. Feeling like this I could only imagine how the twins were feeling, I glanced at their sleeping forms, they must be so conflicted. Joy, sadness and anger were swirling around me like a vortex; I wanted to take up Elladan's pacing. I gripped my hair and forced myself to think of other thoughts, focusing on the fact that the child was here now, he was _safe, _he would be loved and one day this would all be a horrid dream for him. We would never let anything harm him now, and he would grow and trust and have a family. Finally my racing thoughts settled and I patiently waited for morning.

Natsume's P.o.v

It was morning, I could hear birds chirping and the low grumbling of a quiet conversation, I kept my eyes closed as I tried to remember where I had fallen asleep. There had been two, no, three men and they had given him food and warmer clothes, and had promised to bring him to civilization. Slowly I opened my eyes and was greeted to a canopy of green, the sun was shining brightly today and the leaves glittered like emeralds in its light. Just as slowly I eased myself up, I was sore but I felt better than I had for several days and felt a small gleam of hope spark where before there had been despair. Ellyden? And Eloher? Rushed over when they noticed I was awake, and unlike the last time I looked at them I actually _saw _them, they were both incredibly beautiful, with flowing raven hair and perfect pale skin and for a moment I just gaped like an idiot. Any words they might have said were lost for that brief period of time I was staring at them and I was shocked for a second time when I noticed they had pointed ears just like mine.

"Natsume?" I was finally snapped out of my stupor with the soft call of my name and flinched slightly; I had just ignored them both for several minutes.

"Hey, hey it's okay, we were just wondering if you wanted something to eat? We are going to be on our way soon and won't be stopping for a while; it would be good if you ate something." One of the twins said gently, I blushed bright red and nodded, embarrassed with my inattention. The other twin laughed, light and happy and without a word went to fix me a plate. They both looked at me as if they had never seen a child before, they seemed genuinely pleased that I was around, which was strange but they were so gentle and happy that it didn't make me nervous. In fact I was ridiculously at ease as I had never been before with strangers or anyone else. It was similar to the time I had met the women in the shop, or I woke in the forest, there was a little part of me that just told me I could trust them. That I could let down my barriers here and I wouldn't be harmed for a misstep, or belittled.

Elahair? came back with a plate filled with dried fruits, breads and jams and cheese, and I ate slowly savoring each piece, I moved my hand to push a stray strand of hair back and froze. My hood was down and my ears were visible, they had definitely seen them. Maybe pointed ears were normal here? It would explain why they never questioned him, but what if they were just waiting to get home to interrogate him? How would he explain? An irrational fear began to build in him and the food that was so delicious before began to feel like chalk in his mouth.

"Natsume?" a voice called gently again and he looked up, both twins were standing there looking concerned, one looked a little bit angry but he didn't know why. He shook his head, he was being ridiculous, they both had pointed ears just like his, and it would make no sense for them to target him because of it.

"Sorry, I was just lost in thought, where has Estel gone?" the one name he could remember clearly from last night and the smoke colored eyes. "He's gone to saddle the horses; they were just passed the clearing." Elladan! explained, he finally remembered one of the elves' names. "We should probably go to join him now, he is likely done and waiting for us already," the other said, and I nodded silently, slightly confused but not wanting to seem strange, who used horses nowadays? I silently padded next to the two brothers and admired how gracefully they walked (not noticing I walked the same way) and I struggled to keep up with their much longer strides. Elladan seemed to notice my struggle and asked if I wanted to be picked up, I shyly shook my head and thanked him for the offer but I was thirteen and was old enough to walk on my own. He seemed strangely sad at my rejection and I doubted my choice all the way to the horses. Estel smiled a huge smile when he saw me arrive next to his siblings; I tentatively smiled back as he wished me a good morning. I looked past him and noticed the three horses just a ways away, they were huge in comparison to my tiny body and I had no clue how I was going to ride one, let alone get on!

Estel kneeled down to my height, and I silently noted he had rounded ears, and looked me in the eye as he spoke, "would you mind riding with me?" his voice and soft respect for me made the tiny spark of hope catch and grow just a little larger as I nodded shyly, almost all fear gone. Gently, gently as if carrying a baby bird he lifted me up and placed me on the horse, and as graceful as his brothers hopped up behind me. With a gentle kick and a word of encouragement they were off, the speed of the large animal took his breath away, and a wind that smelled of flowers caressed his face. He couldn't help it, he laughed in excitement, and the sound was like crystal, carried on the same wind that caused it.

Estel P.o.v

I couldn't help the large grin the appeared on my face as the little elfling approached with my two brothers. He looked much more comfortable in their presence than he had before, and to see him calmer filled me with relief.

"Good morning Natume," I greeted him and he smiled softly in return, his gaze didn't settle on me though, it rested on something just past my sight and I realized he must not be used to horses. I rested on my heels so he wouldn't have to crane his neck up to look at me, "would you mind riding with me?" he nodded. I lifted him up carefully onto the horse, almost faltering at how lightweight the boy was and moved swiftly to join him, making sure he was secure in front of me. I glanced back at the twins and almost laughed at the put out expressions on their faces, no doubt they had wanted to ride with the elfling. With a gentle kick I urged my horse to move towards Rivendell, setting a quick pace, eager to be home. I almost started at the sound of a high pitched tinkling of laughter coming from in front of me. The boy leaned forward as if to better enjoy the wind on his face and without a care continued to laugh merrily. I grinned another large grin and prayed that my brothers behind me could hear the joy in the child's carefree giggles.


	6. Chapter 6

Hey, I just wanted to say thank you for reviewing :) Each review brings a smile to my face and makes me want to write more. So thank you!

I don't own LotR or Natsume, though I wish I did.

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They rode hard through the day, only stopping to eat and relieve themselves. All three brothers were anxious to be home were there would be no danger to their precious charge, excited and nervous to break the news to the people of Rivendell. There would be quite an uproar in all the elven communities once the information about the child spread. The elfling had swapped places after their first break and had sat with Elladan during the rest of the ride. Estel almost worried the pair would crash into a tree near the beginning with how enraptured the twin was with the child. Fortunately they didn't and there were no mishaps that day, the child actually fell asleep in Elladan's arms halfway through the journey.

They stopped again for the night, as much as they would like to continue to ride through until they eventually came to Rivendell, It would be unfair to both the child and the horses. At the speed they were travelling it would hopefully only be one more day until they finally arrived at home. The child tried to offer his help in setting up the campsite, or unsaddling the horses, but most things were large, heavy or dangerous to hold and he was told to wait to the side and rest. The boy wouldn't even sit down, he stood and fidgeted, wringing his hands and fumbling with the strings of his strange clothing. He looked uneasy again, as night approached as if he didn't know what to do with himself.

Elladan P.o.V

Finally the camp was ready for another night, fire again crackling merrily and bringing light and warmth, he turned around to check on the child and to his surprise the child hadn't come forward at the completion of the campsite. He stood on the edge looking unsure, "Come and sit by the fire child," I called to him, making sure to keep my voice light and cheerful. The boy looked relieved as he moved towards the warmth of the fire, and again I felt anger stir in my gut. Although the child had no visible injuries or scars that they could see it was obvious he had been neglected to the point that he was no longer comfortable with other people, even elf-kind. And it didn't just anger Elladan, but hurt, his very soul was crying out in thinking that an elfling had been treated so. But I calmed myself, no lines of anger reached my face, for the child who was so unsure but beginning to trust them would likely grow uneasy at the sight of it.

It had filled my heart with joy to hear his unrestrained laughter earlier in the day and it was my goal to hear it again and again. When he joined me on the horse, to have him in my arms filled me with warmth, the small touch made him feel more real. It reminded me that it wasn't some hopeful dream; the child was actually here with us. Then he fell asleep in my arms, and a profound relief filled me, to know that he trusted me enough to fall asleep in my hold made me nearly laugh out loud in sheer joy at the thing.

Natsume was quiet, and I decided that now would be a good time to gently question him about how he came to be alone in the forest. To our great relief his fever was now almost non-existent, although elves were immune to most sicknesses; elflings were generally weaker than even human children when it came to illness.

"Natume," I began rolling his strange name on my tongue and he looked at me, for one his gaze clear of wariness, "Where are your parents? Why were you alone in the forest?" Estel looked at me reproachingly, it had been a silent agreement to not question the child until we reached Rivendell, but the child had looked calm and I could no longer hold myself back. Elrohir looked relieved when I voiced my question and I knew he felt the same, and all three of us now turned to look at the child to hear his response.

His gaze was again uneasy, and it hurt to think it was my fault for his peaceful look to go away, but I needed some answers or I would go mad. He gazed into my eyes as if trying to read my intentions, before looking back to the ground, "Both of my parents are dead, I was living with distant relatives…"

I had expected as much about his parents, but to hear the boy say it himself made me feel like I had been doused with icy water. Although the relatives explanation didn't make much sense, for even if they were distant relatives they would have loved the elfling like their own and all the elvish communities would have heard of him. Despite this leaving more questions than answers I didn't push the child, the words spoken seemed to have taken a toll on him and no wonder for it must have brought up painful memories. He seemed to curl inwards on himself clutching his trousers so hard his fingers went white. Estel slowly approached him, in the same manner one would approach a frightened animal, when he finally reached the boy he knelt down to his level.

"I do not know what happened to your parents, nor do I know what happened to your relatives, but you are with us now. Me and Elladan and Elrohir will take care of you. The other elves will welcome you gladly…And you will not have to leave unless you yourself choose to do so_._" His soft words barely carried to where I was sitting but were warm and kind. The boy looked completely stunned, his face filled with disbelief. A little tear trickled down his face, but he seemed to master himself and his choking words that followed made me want to cry as well, "_me?" _he said softly, with the same disbelief that filled his face, "They would gladly welcome _me…_You want to take care of _me?" _Each time he said "me" it was filled with a quiet self-loathing, and I wanted to hunt down the people who had put it there. Estel didn't say anything else; he took the child's chin in his hands, looked him in the eye and nodded. And that seemed to break some invisible barrier, the child threw himself into Estel's arms and began to sob, he sobbed in a way only a child can. Heartbreakingly soft hiccups and little wails echoed softly in the clearing as tears poured down his face looking like they would never stop.

Estel picked the child up and held him to his chest rocking him slowly, his gaze met mine over the child's head, and his eyes were filled with horror that I was sure was reflected in my own. He held the child and murmured reassurances, while patting his back. Slowly, slowly the child was soothed and only the watery hiccoughs remained until he at last laid his head on Estel's shoulder clutching his clothing in a tight fist and fell asleep, exhausted by his overwhelming emotions.

Elrohir sighed and put his face in his hands, I went over to sit next to him, giving and drawing strength from him. I again thanked the Valinor (I think that's how it's spelled) for being born a twin, his support always made me feel stronger. I felt him shudder next to me and was surprised to see gleaming tracks trickling down his face, he hadn't cried in hundreds of years, not since our mother passed! I touched my face and was surprised for a second time; my face was wet with tears as well. It was just too much, an elfling alive was fantastic, it was something he never thought he would see again, but for it to have so much self-doubt, for the child to be so unhappy just shook him to his very soul. It was wrong; it seemed against nature for something like this to have happen.

Estel lay the child down to sleep, although he had a hard time removing the child's iron grip off his clothing. He shook his head and sat down closer to the fire, he put his head in his hands, mirroring the exact position Elrohir had been in moments before. He did not cry though, his face remained blank and I knew he was trying to process all that had happened. After a few long moments he went to lie down, a silent request than one of us take first watch this time.

Normal P.o.V

Morning came with the presence of grey clouds; hopefully they could arrive to Rivendell before the downpour started. The child woke and blushed bright red again as he no doubt recalled his breakdown. None of the brothers mentioned it; they just calmly cleaned up the campsite and kept conversation light and even silly. They made sure Natsume had enough to eat and drink, and then Elrohir picked him up and placed him on his horse. Natsume smiled a hesitant smile as they began to ride again towards Rivendell. He did not complain a single time about the long journey with little breaks, although he did rub his legs and stretched vigorously whenever we stopped, showing he was uncomfortable. A little bird flew into their sight when they stopped to eat and nearly clipped Estel in the head with its wings, it startled everyone, when the boy let out a long stream of merry giggles. The boy himself looked taken aback at his own carefree laughter and apologized to Estel for laughing at him, Estel merely shrugged and laughed as well telling the boy there was no reason to apologize.

They set off once again, Natsume sitting with Estel this time, and all three brothers were glad as they all realized they were very close to home. The very air seemed more and more peaceful as they approached home.

"Look forward Natsume, for we will soon have Rivendell in our sights, and it is not something you want to miss," Estel could be heard telling the boy, and as they got to the top of a rather small hill, there it was Rivendell in all it beauty. The child let out a sharp gasp, his eyes wide in wonder at the city sprawled out before him.

"Welcome home," the twins said together and Natsume could do little but nod in agreement.

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_"Natsume…were they really all good people? There were the ones who drank and then hit you…and ones who pretended they'd forgotten and didn't feed you. Kids will be kids…When they all get together, they can be so cruel, can't they? It's not right, is it? I thought that humans were supposed to love children unconditionally. So I wonder…why are you not loved?"_

_"Shut up! It's because I'm not normal! Isn't it obvious!? It's obvious no one would want to bring someone they don't understand into their precious family!" _Natsume ch 31


	7. Chapter 7

So sorry about the chapter taking so long, I would write a few sentences, think oh that's rubbish and then start over. I kept thinking should it be from the elves point of view or Natsume's? Should he rest first or shock the beejeezus out of the elves right away? Then finally at like 1 in the morning i was satisfied with how it was going when my computer decided to start configuring? I wasnt to worried because i had autosave but when i reopened it half of what i wrote was gone! I rewrote it but i liked the original better...Haha nothing seemed right, but hopefully this will do well enough. I may also update another short chap today to apologize, not sure yet though :P

Btw Ada is father in elvish.

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Natsume was filled with awe, the entire place seemed to glow with a peaceful serenity. The feelings of joy he had when first arriving in the forest had nothing on the feeling of content that this city pulled from him. It was like waking up after a horrible nightmare and realizing everything that had just occurred had only been a dream, heart still pounding, hands still shaking but filled with so much relief it was almost painful. Despite this he knew he could not allow himself to fully believe that all would be well. It was so much more painful to be filled with hope and realize that it was for nothing then to feel no hope at all. Therefore he kept the feeling that was trying so desperately to flare out and fill him from head to toe stamped down.

Estel tightened his hold on him reassuringly before urging his horse on through the gates of Rivendell. They clattered through the many streets, which were filled with others like the twins, like him, tall, stunningly beautiful beings with pointed ears walked the streets of the city calmly. And though a few waved to the three brothers, they did not wave back or even slow down. They made their way to a large and beautiful house; it looked as if the majestic building had one day simply grown from nature. The cool carpet of grass slowly gave way to a soft white stone and trees leaned in eagerly to blanket the sides of the home. We came to a halt and Estel swung off the horse, he gently lifted me off as well but instead of putting me down he quickly drew up the hood of my cloak and held me to his chest. Elladan and Elrohir were soon flanking us and when a stable hand that had come to take the horses looked at me curiously we hurried on.

The house was large and beautiful, dark wood and white stone contrasted and made the whole place seem otherworldly. We passed many rooms on our winding path, one smelled of freshly baked breads and honey, many voices could be heard from the next, all with the same musical quality to their voices that the twins had. We finally arrived at a large door; all three brothers shared a glance and hesitated before Elrohir gave the door a sharp knock.

"Come in," a stern but kind voice sounded from within, and the door slowly opened. The room they entered was a large study, books lined the dark shelves and sunlight seeped in through large windows to gently caress the pages. A man stood behind a great desk, he shared much of the same features as the twins, his long dark hair framed his face and a silver circlet rested atop the inky strands gleaming in the darkness.

"Ah, my sons have finally returned home, earlier than expected. How did the hunt for the orcs go, was your journey successful?" he asked, not seeming to have noticed me yet, he had a full smile on his face, obviously pleased to have his sons home safe and sound.

"No, we came upon something of great importance in the forest, and did not want to risk what we had found in battle," Estel replied, his voice somehow both full of confidence and unsure. He gave the man a meaningful look before he gently set me on my feet and pulled back my hood.

"It cannot be…" the man's eyes had gone wide as he looked first at Estel who nodded grimly and the twins and then back at me. He hurried forward in a movement that startled me; seeming to sense my unease he stopped several feet away and knelt down in front of me. I nervously backed away until I could feel Estel's presence behind me and held his travel cloak in my fist. The man's intense stare made me nervous, was I not supposed to be here? Fear slowly filled me and eclipsed the lingering hope I had.

But then the man spoke again and his voice was soft with not only disbelief but wonder and joy as well and my fear quickly changed to confusion. "An elfling? It's not possible, he looks to be at least eight summers old, how is it we have not heard or celebrated his conception?"

This time the twins responded "We found him alone in the forest, he seemed to have been there for at least several weeks-"

"He was sick with fever, and when we found him he quickly succumbed to his exhaustion-"

"We thought he was a child of men, and tended to his illness-"

"Imagine our surprise when we realized he was an elfling! An elfling alone and sick in the deep woods! We thought he must have been abandoned there-"at these words I flinched, and Estel shot the twins a dark look before cutting off their runaway explanation. "The important thing is that we found him, and he is here now with us safe and sound. His name is Natsume, Natsume this is our father Elrond, Lord of Rivendell."

The man who had looked angered at what the twins had been saying smiled at me gently "Well met young Natsume, it brings me great joy to see you here with us in Rivendell. I hope that you can explain how you came to be alone in the forest, but we will hear your explanations later. For now we will take you to the halls of healing to make sure all is well and then you shall eat and rest, for the journey must have been long for one recovering from illness and doubly so for one so young." With that said he reached for my hand.

My entire being was screaming out to just take his hand, my instincts telling me that I was safe with this man, and that he would die before seeing me come to harm. But a small part of me still feared hurt; they had been kind so far but many had appeared to be kind at first, their neglect always hurt more. I shrunk back further into Estel; Elrond slowly retracted his hand and smiled at me sadly before standing up. "The halls of healing are this way, follow me," and he walked past us into the hall and further into the house.

Estel P.o.V

The child was now asleep in a spare room; he had no trace left of the fever he suffered from in the forest and aside from the malnourishment was healthy. He had seemed nervous to be alone but had calmed slightly when we told him we would only be a couple doors down. Now we were all back in the study, Ada was shaking his head, "How could this have happened? The child is so wary of us; does he not know we are elf-kind? The Eldar would never hurt a child; does he not know that he is now safe? And his condition! The people who have done this must be found, I know that half of Rivendell would empty to hunt down those who would ever think to bring harm to an elfling, if not all of the elvish communities. How could this have happened?" he said bitterly shaking his head again and softly murmured "His conception should have brought celebration and feasts for years and years, he should not have any knowledge of fear or darkness and yet those feelings seem to be the most prominent!" His gracefulness seemed to seep away slowly as he let himself sag in disbelief and pain.

"He told us his parents are dead and that he lived with distant relatives, although that does not explain anything it was all he told us aside from his name, how he ended up alone in the forest is a mystery," I began to explain, although it wasn't much of an explanation.

"Elladan and I believe that he must have been taken in by some other race, and then once he began to show how different he was to other people they began to grow afraid and dumped him in the forest. Many people are superstitious and fear that which they know nothing about… Not many have knowledge of elf-kind" I was surprised at Elrohir's words, somber and full of wisdom, it was not something I had thought about, but would make much sense.

"We must wait for him to wake before we can ask questions, and even then they may not be fully truthful for he is very wary of us. For now I should contact the other elvish communities, they may have some knowledge of the elfling, although why they would have chosen to hide it is beyond me. If they don't know then they will soon and we shall decide together what should be done." With that Ada dismissed us, so that we may rest and eat as well, and he could get on with sending out the news, that an elfling had been found.

_" 'Why don't you come live with me?' … Why would she say that? She mustn't know much about me…There were a lot of people who were kind to begin with…No they were probably all good people, but…I don't want to see…the disappointment in their eyes anymore. I don't really…want to meet kind people anymore…" _Natsume ch 30


	8. Chapter 8

So this is my tiny extra apology chapter! Here it is!

I think in 3-4 chapters I may do a time skip, just a warning…then again I may not lol.

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Normal point of view

Everyone was confused and nervous; Elrond had called a gathering of all the elves in Rivendell who could make it. Although he didn't call it urgent, when Elrond called these meetings everyone went, for it was usually large news. The last time a meeting had been called it was to announce he had adopted Aragorn, later renamed Estel, the time before it was to announce the grave news that his wife Celebrian had set sail for the undying lands, too ill at heart to stay in Middle Earth. They all anxiously waited for him to stand and announce what all this was about. He waited a moment longer as if unsure how to start and then finally stood, the entire room held its breath, would the news bring about joy or grief?

"Welcome all, and thank you for coming on such short notice for I have strange but joyous news to share with you all. This night my sons have returned home from hunting orcs and have told me that their mission was a failure but not without good reason… They tracked the orcs through the forest when they came upon another set, too small to be an orc's footprint. They followed the tracks and to their great surprise came upon a child!" the entire room was filled with soft muttering and exclamations of disbelief, Elrond paused and waited for the room to quiet once more. "There is more, the child was alone and sick with fever, when they began treat the boy they realized something else…"With this he again seemed unsure, it was something they had never seen in their leader before, it was obvious he was struggling to find the right thing to say, but he always had words at the ready and it was strange to see him speechless.

Finally he seemed to reach a decision, "this child was no child of men, but an elfling." He finished bluntly and the room was silent. After a great pause the room was filled with noise once again, much louder than the soft murmurings of before, all the elves voices were raised clamoring to be heard. Some began to weep or even dance in joy at the discovery of an elfling, others seemed furious at the brief mention of what he must have suffered, all wanted answers. One elf stood amongst the others and when his voice raised all others around him quieted in respect, his long golden hair stood out amongst the other brown and raven haired elves. "Silence, if you want to hear what has become of the elfling then let Lord Elrond finish his tale!" his fair voice echoed in the hall and all were silent once more.

"Thank you Glorfindel, although it is an understandable reaction, an elfling abandoned in the woods! It is an outrage how he was found, alone and sick with fever! But yes an Elfling of only eight summers has arrived in Rivendell, we know nothing of how he came to be alone in the forest and all he has told us is that his parents have passed on and his name is Natsume. He is wary of all he does not know, so I beg you not to approach him too quickly, speak too loudly, or pay him any unnecessary attention; for it will not do to cause him more pain. Elladan, Elrohir and Estel treated him well as one would expect; by the time young Natsume arrived into our city he was clear of all illness and relatively comfortable in their presence. I have already sent word to our friends in Lothlorien (sp?) and Mirkwood to find out if they had knowledge of an elfling in Middle Earth and until such news has arrived he shall stay with me and my family in Rivendell. I hope with time he will grow comfortable in the presence of all elves and that whatever memories that haunt him now will soon be forgotten." He finished his speech at last and dismissed the elves after thanking them for their attendance. Some stayed in the hall to quietly absorb the unbelievable news, others quickly left talking excitedly. Elrond sighed and headed for his own room, it had been a long day and he would gladly welcome sleep.

Natsume P.o.V

There was a sharp knock at the door and I startled awake, I was in an unfamiliar but comfortable room and I could see sunlight and could hear birdsong filtering through the windows. Nervously I softly called a "come in" and the door swung open, it was Estel!

"Estel! Good morning," I said happily, I had had a tiny fear that after the three brothers dropped me off and made sure I was well they would disappear and leave me with strangers.

"Good morning to you too little one, I am sorry to have woken you but I have brought you a fresh change of clothes and breakfast is to be served soon," he replied to my cheery greeting, he looked a bit surprised and very pleased as he handed me some clothes. The clothes were soft and gently worn, it was unlike anything he had worn before but from what he had seen of the other elves it was normal around here. Green Leggings and breeches and a soft tunic, all slightly covered by a long brown cloak, it was comfortable and easy to move in and I thanked Estel profusely as I lightly touched the fabric. I was also given a pair of sturdy boots, like the clothes they were comfortable and fit well. Estel smiled at me after I finished changing and exited my room, I hesitantly reached for Estel's hand which he gave to me readily. It was rough with calluses but warm and gentle and he guided me again through the crisscrossing halls of Elrond's home.

With proper rest and food the same playful energy that had filled me on my long trek in the forest returned to me with a vengeance, and I could not help but marvel at everything we had rushed by yesterday. I pulled Estel to look more closely at a piece of the wooden wall that had warped slightly and looked strangely like a face, large archways opened into small gardens with trickling streams and the whole place radiated peace and life. I skipped and laughed openly and Estel soon joined in as we walked closer to the breakfast hall. His face which had mostly been grim or set in a focused frown on the journey to Rivendell now deepened into laugh lines that made his eyes sparkle and entire demeanor look less menacing. It put me at ease to see him so comfortable, if one so used to being alert for danger could be so relaxed then it must be safe to do so as well. The whole world narrowed to the two of us, young child and gentle man and nothing else existed, for the moment all was well.

But it was not to last, for soon they reached their destination, the breakfast hall. Many voices could be heard filtering through the large doors, all merry and musical. Some were playful and others calm but all sounded kind, despite this I still felt almost sick to my stomach with nervous tension. I could hear neither Elladan or Elrohir's voice nor the voice of their father, each voice inside the room was strange and new and the fact I couldn't look forward to something familiar filled me with dread. I had never done well in large crowds, my freakishness more apparent with the larger quantity of people to compare me to. Estel smiled at me gently "You ready?" he asked me and his voice filled me with determination, his kindness made me want to be kind, to be good and to be looked upon fondly. I nodded and he began to open the door.

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_"'It's a big house this, and very peculiar. Always a bit more to discover, and no knowing what you'll find round a corner. And Elves, sir! Elves here, and Elves there! Some like kings, terrible and splendid; and some as merry as children…"_Sam, LotR, Fellowship of the Ring Book 2 Chapter 1. Just a small explanation, I love the elves because of this description, and others similar to it. All the elves are at least 1000 years old, it's been awhile since I've read the books but I don't think any were younger than that. Yet they can still retain childishness, they can still be playful and merry and happy. Always singing with their musical voices but when the situation calls for it they are "terrible and splendid." I don't know how to explain how much I love the way they are described by Tolkien :P


	9. Chapter 9

I still don't own LotR or Natsume J

Hey everybody! Thanks to all reviewers again! I don't know how to express how excited I get when I see a review! It really makes me feel motivated J Also I am on holiday right now which is why I can update so often, but I will soon be returning to my job and I may have to update a bit less. Don't worry though I will still try to everyday, it may just happen to be every other day or every third day L Any way here's the chap!

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The entire room quieted as the doors slowly opened to reveal Estel and the mysterious elfling. For a minute all stared and Natsume fidgeted and hid behind Estel's leg, once again clutching at his clothing but then the hall quickly picked up to the easy chatter it was before and the child became calmer, no longer the center of attention. They were still shot a few curious looks, and many smiled at them fully as they walked by, but it was no longer uncomfortable. To Natsume's surprise and great joy the twins _were _in the room, but were eating quietly. They took a seat next to the two brothers who grinned at their arrival. Natume was sat between Estel and Elladan and although there were many strange elves sitting at the table with them he was no longer nervous. The brothers were like a shield for him, and he began to fill his plate quietly. The feast laid before him filled him with awe, several types of crusty bread still warm from the oven, fresh exotic fruits and smoky roasted meats, the smells filled the air heavenly and Natsume's stomach growled loudly. He helped himself to a tiny portion of everything glancing at everyone to make sure he wasn't doing anything wrong and nibbled his meal in small bites. The flavors exploded as they touched his tongue, sweet and salty, the meat melted in his mouth and each bite was a different experience. The elves sure knew how to put a meal together; he wished his food would last forever!

He finished his small plate, and his tummy grumbled for more, he ignored it; I would not pig out when the people here had been so kind to me. The attention they paid him and concern for his illness was more than he got from all the relatives he had stayed with put together. Maybe if he only ate a little and did everything he was told he would get to stay in this magical place. There was no pain here and every pair of eyes that happened to meet his was warm and happy to see him, there was no disgust and no annoyance. He was startled out of his thoughts as Elladan quickly filled his plate again.

"You must eat more than that, little one, if you are to gain your strength and weight back," he told me kindly. And for some reason this almost had me in tears again, he had a sad look in his eyes when he set the now full plate down in front of me. I ate every bite; my stomach for the first time I can remember was full and warm. It was almost overwhelming how comfortable and content I now felt, all three brothers smiled at me reassuringly and I smiled lazily back. Elrohir stood up and slowly reached for me, I allowed him to pick me up, I wasn't sleepy but I was so cozy I did not care to move and he had offered. Estel and Elladan both stood as well and we began to move towards the exit of the breakfast hall.

"Where are we going?" I asked Ellrohir, and I allowed the more childish part of me to gently play with his dark silky hair, marvelling at the texture.

"We are going to go visit Ada in his study, he has a few questions for you, little one," he calmly replied as if it was nothing big. But his words filled me with a small dread, for questions sounded a lot like interrogation and what if he did not like the answers he received? Would I still be showed the same kindness, or would I be asked to leave? I shivered slightly at the thought of wandering the forest alone forever, unwanted by all, after having a small taste of the warmth and kindness here the thought seemed torturous. Elrohir looked at me questioningly and I gave him a wobbly smile but didn't say anything. I buried my head in his chest and listened to his heart beating, I would allow myself to be selfish for the moment, if I was forced to leave at least I had gotten every drop of comfort I could before I left.

Elrohir's point of view

The child looked the most peaceful he had ever saw him, he had a rosy glow to his cheeks and his eyes were calm and content. I reached over to pick him up and he stretched out his arms to aid me. A part of me sang at his easy acceptance, and I held him protectively to my chest. A small hand began to play with my hair, never pulling or tugging, just gently fiddling with the ends. I smiled at the little child, amazed at the level of comfort he now had with me.

"Where are we going?" he asked me eyes and voice curious, and I told him that we were going to go visit Ada, to hear his story and find out where he had come from. The little one stiffened in my arms and he shivered, his eyes glowing with fear, I looked at him concerned. He tried to give me a little smile but it came out as more of a grimace, finally he relaxed a bit burying his face in my clothes as if trying to hide from the world. I do not know why he suddenly retreated so, he had met my father before and seemed fine afterwards, why was he suddenly so frightened? We arrived at Ada's study, and I held the child even closer hoping to reassure him as we opened the door and went inside. He was sitting behind his desk once again, and smiled largely when we came in; he gave us a cheerful greeting and brought over chairs so we may sit as well. I sat the child in his own chair although his expression now seemed a little bit lost. Elladan and I shared a look, the child was frightened every time he was put into a new situation, it was sad the boy was so fearful when everything new should have filled him with anticipation and joy. Natsume fidgeted in his chair and looked at Estel, Estel smiled at him kindly before Elrond finally spoke.

"Natsume, I am glad to see you well, I trust you enjoyed your breakfast?" at Nastume's nod he continued "Good! Good, now we shall get to the heart of the matter, you are very young and to be left alone in the woods is no small thing…How did you come to be there, and I know this may be hard but what happened to your parents?"

With a weary sigh Natsume began to speak. He told of how his mother had died shortly after he had been born and how his father lost in grief, followed soon after. He spoke of how he had been taken in by kind-hearted but distant relatives, who couldn't really afford to keep him, had in fact been a hindrance to them, and of how he had been passed around person to person. As he spoke a twinge of self-loathing entered his voice, sometimes he would stay as short as a month, others a couple of years, but always he would move on. I was horrified by his tale, although he spoke of how "kind-hearted" these people were, there was not a spark of love in his eyes as he described them. This in itself painted a very different picture, he told of all they had given him but his expression told another story, of what these people _had not _given to him, definitely not love, probably not even acceptance. There was a moment, a pause in his story were he lightly touched his ribs, as if recalling something unpleasant and I had to repress a shiver, what else besides "kindness" had these people given him?

All three elves, plus Estel were frowning, all too perceptive to not hear what was being left unsaid. "And how did you come to be alone in the forest, if at last you were safe with relatives?" Elrond asked.

Natsume hesitated before he began to speak again, he looked to be unsure and confused. "I don't know…" he replied in a quiet voice "…the last thing I remember I was walking home, and then there was nothing, I woke in the forest…It was mostly peaceful there except the night of the monsters, but I got tired of walking, and then you found me." He explained softly. My heart filled with dread, monsters? He must have had a close encounter with the orcs we had been tracking, he was lucky to be alive let alone uninjured, for if he had been caught it would have been a slow painful death for the elfling. And the child must have been knocked out somehow and left in the forest to die by his "kind" relatives.

"Would you like us to find your relatives for you?" Elladan asked he seemed to be trying to figure something out; the child furiously shook his head before he caught himself and gave a polite "no thank you." But his frantic rejection of the idea added another piece of the puzzle to the child's care.

"I see…Thank you child for sharing what must have been a difficult story with us. You have been very brave to persevere through such difficult and scary situations especially as young as you are. We have called a meeting with the other elven lords, who shall soon be arriving to share the news of your arrival; know that you are welcome to stay for as long as you wish in Rivendell. But if you choose to go to another elvish community remember that you will always have a place here with us as well." Elrond concluded his voice sympathetic.

Natsume looked shocked and confused. I realized he hadn't fully believed Estel's kind words in the forest that he would be welcomed amongst the elves and would be allowed to stay unless he wished otherwise.

"T-That, That's it? That's all you need from me, I can stay? You want me to stay? I am not a burden to you?" his voice trembled and he began to laugh abruptly as tears streamed down his face for a second time without warning. It was frightening to see a child so young hysterical like this. It was not like the crying of earlier, soft sobs and hiccups, but a harsh laughing accompanied by tears. The sound was harsh and almost bitter and amongst the laughing was his voice "me?" he kept asking frantically, "you want _me_ to stay?" eyes and voice both filled with disbelief as if nobody could ever want _him_. Over and over he repeated the question until my heart could not take it. I snapped out of my shock at the same as Elladan, and we both rushed to the child. Estel who had been sitting closer was already there hugging the child and whispering reassurances, as he had the first night, it was a wonder the child had not simply let himself fade.

Elrond was still frozen behind his desk, like a marble statue caught forever in a state of horror. I embraced both Estel and the child, Elladan mirroring me once again on the other side; we hid the boy from view as if we could act as a shield from his memories. The boy clutched at us, and slowly calmed, eventually he fell asleep the small episode exhausting him. Even unconscious his grip did not falter and he clutched Estel's clothes as if afraid to let go. Tears again trickled down our faces, the second time in the span of only a few days. How much joy it was to have an elfling amongst us again and how much it hurt to see him in so much pain, like a double-edged sword, a bittersweet contrast of emotion.

Estel did not say a word as he nodded to Ada and silently left with the elfling, presumably to put him to bed, where he would be most comfortable. The study was quiet for a moment before Elladan broke the silence "The child obviously believes what he was told by his "relatives" was true, but he is an elfling and no elf would have let him go if he had reached them, it is obvious whoever raised him was not kin of any kind. He must have been taken in by some other creatures like we suspected but at a very young age. Whether or not his parents actually died the way his kidnappers explained is a mystery, but despite this he has somehow made it back to his own people and with us he will stay. Never again will he be passed around like some cheap toy or bauble, to be discarded again at will, here he will be loved like the treasure he is."

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Hey just want to tell you guys that Natsume _does _remember how he came to be in the forest but could say, "oh i hated my old life and was sent her by a dimension witch and then turned into an elfling." so he gave a little lie and let them come to their own connclusions :P Hope you enjoyed


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry for the long wait! I tried to make it extra long just for you guys! Thanks to everyone who reviewed and favorited and followed, every notice i get fills me with joy :P the beginning is a bit drabbley but i think it was necessary just to show how he settles in with the elves :)

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Many weeks passed and Natsume began to grow comfortable in Rivendell, although he was still wary of the other elves he did not fear being alone in their presence. When he was with either of the twins or with Estel he felt as if he could be carefree, he was still gentle, calm and polite but he allowed a bit of his childish side to shine through as well. All were kind to him, and seemed to even light up in his presence, they enjoyed having him nearby which was something he was could not get used to, he felt welcome. Every small act of kindness still sent a thrill of exhilaration through him, a small biscuit given to him as a treat with a wink, or a scarf wrapped snugly around his neck on a colder day or even a smudge of dirt carefully rubbed of his nose by warm hands. It was something he could never grow tired of. Something he had learned to appreciate as he had never been given such careful attention before, it felt a lot like what he imagined love to be like.

One particular day was memorable in when Estel had carefully pulled him aside and gave him a small hand-crafted sword. It was eerily beautiful and very, very sharp, and was given to him with his promise of only using it with permission or in case of emergency, and he would receive lessons at least once a day from either Estel or if he was unavailable one of the twins. He was allowed to practice as long as he had supervision, and he worked on it long and hard wanting to make those who worked so hard with him, proud. One day Lord Elrond himself came to watch and give a tip or two, Natsume blushed bright red when the Lord praised his work. He believed he had at least mastered the very basics and he was determined that he would one day be as good as Estel.

He had gained a long but shallow cut along his arm when practicing swordsmanship with Elladan. It was a simple accident. The elf had been teaching him a simple defensive movement and Natsume had tripped over Elladan's long legs grazing himself with his own sword. The porcelain skin on the elf grew to be even more pale and he looked horrified as he stared at the crimson trail steadily trickling down Natsume's arm like a stream. The wound bled sluggishly and Natsume wasn't too worried about it but before he could even blink he was wrapped in the arms of the elf and rushed to the halls of healing. Elladan painstakingly wrapped the wound as gentle as could be and apologized profusely, almost frantic with his need to be forgiven. "I have had much worse before Elladan, you silly elf, no need to be such a mother hen," he had said as light-heartedly as possible hoping the small quip would distract the elf, but the dark look that crossed his face instead shot small shivers down the little elfling's spine. "Never again," Elladan replied with such fierce conviction, eyes gleaming, that Natsume actually believed him and was filled with warmth.

He also received riding lessons from the twins, he was lent a little pony and they spent many days exploring the winding trails of the nearby forests. Sometime and elf named Erestor would join them on their short trips, he was chief counselor to Lord Elrond and had many stories both serious and funny about the entire family and he rode a large dark gelding who's mane was like satin with his care. He began to love the little pony he rode, which had been bought in a small village and was named Filifeet for what reason he did not know and made sure to visit often with gifts of soft apples or crunchy carrots. Every day was filled with peace and lazy sunshine in Rivendell.

He rode high on the shoulders of Elrohir laughing joyously as the elf ran around making ridiculous sounds and jumping high, sounding like a demented horse. Elladan was sitting on the grass nearby, almost in tears with how hard he was laughing at his usually graceful twin. Whenever another elf walked by they also stopped to playfully smile at their antics, the air was filled with the sound of their musical laughter. "Faster! Higher!" He cried, and the elf easily obliged bringing more giggles of delight from the young child.

The room that he had first stayed in officially became his and now held some extra clothes and little trinkets he had found while in Rivendell, a shiny stone, a sleek blue feather, an arrowhead and an acorn cap amongst many other similar baubles. The little meaningless objects were never taken away from him, and he treasured each new trinket he acquired. He had even been gifted a couple of gently used children books which lined small shelves and had now been read several times each. He never imagined that days like these would come.

Natsume was sitting with Estel in the garden listening to the tales of old. Estel often told him great stories of elven histories and tales of kings, of men and fierce battles that ended in victory and left years and years of peace. Natsume held his breathe in excitement for it was now the climax of the story when the sound of a horn echoed off the stone of the mountain, the man immediately quit his storytelling and got up excitedly, straining to hear or see what was coming from a distance. He looked at Estel confused and concerned for he had no clue what the sound of the horn signaled. He could not know that it was the sound of the Mirkwood and Lothlorien elves finally arriving, hopefully with news.

"Estel, Estel," it seemed with great effort that the man's attention returned to him, "What was that sound? What does it mean?" I finally asked, for it took quite a bit for the man to be so distracted.

"It is the sound of many friends arriving at last, there will be a great counsel and then a feast for it has been many years since the elves have gathered. The Lothlorien elves led by the Lady Galadriel and the elves of Mirkwood led by King Thranduil are here!" he cried excitedly, and then he collected himself, "I must go and greet our guests at once for they have traveled far to come to council with us, you should go to your chambers and bathe for they will be glad to meet you and I am sure you want to make a good first impression. I shall send someone to come fetch you whenever you are ready."

With that Estel stood and hurried in the direction he knew the front gates to be, he was a little disappointed and a little nervous. Estel had been so busy lately, it had been the first time in a while that he had sat down with him, but he knew not to be selfish for Estel and the other elves had given him far much more than he had ever received before. So with a sigh he stood and wiped his suddenly clammy palms on his tunic and set out for his room. He would give the best first impression possible, and make those who had given him such kindness proud.

Switch The Elven council

"An elfling, this cannot be!" Legolas, Son of Thranduil exclaimed passionately his outcry the first of many more to come. All of the Eldar were shocked, normally faces set into perfection and tightly controlled where contorted in various different expressions. Shock, disbelief, even rage were seen on the many elves gathered; only one was silent.

"I have heard no news of an elfling, surely you jest Lord Elrond?" Lady Galadriel asked calmly, the only one who had not risen from her seat and had not allowed expression of any sort to cross her features. Her hair shone like gold, a sunlit waterfall as tangible as moonbeams and in her eye was a look of untold knowledge, if she with all her wisdom had not even heard whispers of the existence of the elfling, then there was no hope for news from any other.

Lord Elrond sighed, "Yes, it is true. When my sons were hunting orcs who had tread too near Rivendell's borders they came across mysterious tracks. The tracks led them to the lost child, who they at first believed to be mannish, he was sick and alone and due to his nature we believe he had been sorely mistreated before being abandoned deep in the woodlands. Although he has grown to be much more comfortable here with the elves he is still unsure and is startled quite easily…How the elfling came to be is a mystery for he claims to have been raised by relatives, his parents dead long ago, he has no knowledge of even their names. He spoke truthfully, if unsure, so he must have been lied to himself."

All the elves were captivated by this speech, it was unbelievable that once again there was an elfling in their midst, but to come at such a price. An elfling untrusting of elves was simply unheard of, they were the purest of creatures, and it was a devastating blow to hear of one treated so harshly. The council went on for a long time, other news and tales shared before the topic once again turned to the elfling.

"It is great news to hear the child is becoming cheerful in the presence of elves, and I know I speak for us all when I say I am very grateful that he arrived at Rivendell unharmed and looked after. But I must confess it is unfair that he should go to you simply because you found him first, Lord Elrond, begging your pardon. With no family surely he should spend a period of time with all elven-kind before he makes such a choice?" King Thranduil finally spoke, he seemed to have been debating himself over asking the question but now his eyes were gleaming with excitement at the prospect of an elfling once more in the halls of Mirkwood.

"Normally I would agree with you, but the child is still so unsure, if separated from Elladan, Elrohir and Estel I am afraid he would once again grow fearful and untrusting, he is so attached. He has been passed around so much and believes himself unwanted; surely sending the child off with strangers would only reaffirm that fact in his heart?" Lord Elrond countered his voice smooth and confident with his argument.

The Lady Galadriel spoke next "Maybe at first he would not understand but surely he would soon realize that all the elves love him as he is and the only reason for him to be moved is that no one can bear the idea of not knowing him? He would realize he is loved more than any other with the attention of so many elves." Her eyes shone as well, excitement clouding her normally perfect vision.

Elrond shook his head in dismay, they were not listening to his words, "It is not simple attention the child longs for, but a sturdy family a place to call home. He simply wishes to be loved and to have a constant friendship to rely on, if we kept moving him from place to place he would gain no reliable friend. It would be like repeatedly uprooting a young sapling, it would soon wither and die no matter the care you put into it." His sons nodded in agreement to his wise words, but the elves of the other communities did not see it so simply. Jealous of the chance to once again have a child in their home, they did not see sense.

After much arguing it was decided, Natsume was to be given a chance with all the elven communities, several years in the care of each before he would be allowed to decide which he would like to stay in. Elrond shook his head in dismay for this would destroy the child, and he could only hope they would change their minds once they met him for the only other option was to declare war or let the elfling go.

He called Estel over to his side, he would be the one to inform Natsume about the decision if it wasn't revoked after they met the child. The child had grown the most attached to Estel, maybe because he was so different from the elves or maybe because he was the first the elfling laid eyes on, and it would be easier coming from him.

Outside P.o.V The elven guests

It was joy to finally meet the young elfling, his voice was soft like a whisper of a wind-chime on a breeze, his silver/gold hair and honey colored eyes made him unique to look at, for no other elf had the same coloring and he was well mannered and well dressed. Although quiet he had a gentle kindness in his eyes and when in the presence of Elrond's family his smiles came more easily and lifted the hearts of all who saw them. He did not seem uncertain or damaged in any way, maybe less outgoing then other elflings but not the fearful unsure creature that had been described. Surely Lord Elrond was wrong, this beautiful, merry child would not suffer from visiting the other elves, and he had only said so to keep the elfling close.

He was shy but not painfully so and interacted with all the elves at least once, with polite hellos and introductions; he worked his way through the entire room. He seemed to be determined and would occasionally look back at Estel, who would smile proudly back, although his smile was tinged with sadness at the oncoming departure of the young elf.

Finally it was time for the young child to go to bed and he bid the entire room goodnight before leaving with Estel, hand in hand they disappeared down the winding halls.

Estel P.o.V

Natsume babbled on and on about how he had talked to each and every elf, that he made sure to be polite in his greetings like he had been taught and how much he enjoyed the evening (a surprised look entered his face as he explained this.) My heart filled with dread for the child was so obviously cheerful that it would break my heart to give him such bad news. The door to his room loomed ever closer and I gulped, he was now looking at me concernedly. I tried to smile at him, but he was an intuitive child and could almost always tell what I was feeling.

"What is wrong Estel? What is it that worries you so?" he asked his high voice pinched with concern. I closed my eyes and took a shuddering breath, I had to be honest with the little elf. He would not thank me for meaningless platitudes or empty promises.

"Natsume…" I started slowly before I hardened my resolve and soldiered on, "There was a council of elves today and they had many discussions at length. One of them concerning you…It has been decided that you shall spend a couple of years in the forests of Mirkwood with King Thranduil before going to Lothlorien and doing the same there with the Lady Galadriel. Lord Elrond was reluctant for you to leave but it is for the best that you spend time with all of our communities before making a rash decision and choosing were you want to live. I am hesitant to part ways with you as well, and it fills my heart with grief to see you leave…I want what is best for you child do you understand?"

Natsume's face, which had first been filled with concern and love, slowly nodded and his expression became curiously blank. He nodded again woodenly and then suddenly bid me goodnight and explained he was tired and needed to rest. Reluctantly I left, softly shutting the door behind me, not a single tear watered his eyes but my cheeks were damp and I cursed softly the foolishness of elves, scrubbing my cheeks mercilessly before I began to head to my own room.

Quick Natsume P.o.V

The flower of hope he had so carefully tended here in Rivendell and which had bloomed and flowered quickly under his care, now withered as if coated in a deep frost. There was no reason to hope any more, no reason to live, the last people he could bring himself to trust were done with him, had left him once again. They had seemed to love him so but were obviously just better at hiding their disdain. He washed his hands of it, even without his powers that creeped everyone out, he was unlovable, and he quickly succumbed to sleep.

Switch pov

The day had come at last, Natsume was packed and ready to go, the faithful pony Filifeet was gifted to him for his journey and he stood by the little horse stroking its velvet neck. At least he would have one familiar companion. He had not spoken much since hearing of the decision and felt strangely empty, hollow as if a gentle wind could pick him up and carry him away. The elves of Rivendell had yet to arrive to bid them goodbye and they would not depart until they had done so. He looked toward the direction of Elrond's house which they would be arriving from and finally spotted them coming towards the gates. He saw Estel and the twins arrive and look at him sadly and his heart twinged, it was the first spark of feeling in a couple of days. Finally Estel was hugging him goodbye and something in him just snapped and he would not let go. He began to sob.

"Do not make me leave Estel please…I love you! I love Rivendell, and the gardens, I love my room with its dark shelves and large windows, the kindness you have all given me. I love the twins and Elrond and even the elves who I have not gotten to know half as well, Glorfindel and Erestor! Please do not make me go! You said…You said that I would never have to leave unless I chose myself to do so! I do not want to go, please, what did I do wrong?! Please?!" I cried, Estel was crying as well, and it was not a single tear but large droplets that landed with pitter patter sounds on the grass, he let them fall without shame.

"You have done nothing wrong child! I love you deeply as well, as do the other elves. I do not want you to go either, but it is not my decision to make. After you spend your time with the other elves you can come back, it is your choice, but you must give the other elves a chance! They love you as well" he said amidst his tears, the other strange elves were watching, looking heartbroken at my grief but their resolve stayed firm, they had not changed their minds at my display and I knew they did not love me but the idea of me. I let the strange numbness of before come over me; for it was easier than the pain, I felt like a wispy cloud struggling to hold shape under sunlight but I mounted my pony and urged it on to follow the others with a strength I did not know I still possessed. But they had not moved from where they had stopped, waiting for me. I quickly caught up to them but still they did not move I could not even muster up curiosity for such an effort of emotion was beyond me.

Suddenly Lady Galadriel spoke, "We cannot take the child away from Rivendell." She said suddenly, looking horrified. King Thranduil looked insulted as did his princeling son.

"Why not?!" he exclaimed almost rudely, staring at the Lady of Lothlorien angrily for he had been filled with much joy, he was to have the elfling first, but his eyes softened at her heartbroken expression. It was full of grief and dismay, of a painful regret that no one understood, for she had simply began to look like that seemingly without reason. Her face which had been filled with joy had just seemed to crumple in on itself.

She paused, unsure "…He has begun to fade," and with her words the entire clearing went silent, all trying and failing to comprehend her terrifying words.

* * *

"_I fully realize my lack of power but I often heedlessly forget it for example, how long am I going to keep making wishes that can never be granted?"_ Natsume ch 16.

Haha i hope it was worth the wait! Also i know there are many more elvish leaders but i have not read the books in quite a while and those are the more prominent ones from the movies. Fortunately i am rereading the books as i write this for inspiration and can hopefully expand more and more as i go along. Thanks for reading!


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